Ireland Free Speech’ summit The Criminal Justice (Incitement to Violence or Hatred and Hate Offences) Bill 2022 passed through the Dáil and is currently before Seanad Éireann, third stage, since June 21, 2024.
According to The Observatory on Intolerance and Discrimination against Christians in Europe, this bill could be Europe’s most extreme ‘hate speech’ bill. “In April 2023, the lower house of the Irish Parliament passed a ‘hate speech’ law that could be considered the most extreme ‘hate speech’ law in Europe,” claims this organisation’s 22/23 annual report.
On ‘Ireland Free Speech’ summit, on June 18, Andrew Doyle said, “I think Ireland bringing through this disastrous hate speech bill, with all major parties supporting it, is symptomatic of something broader”.
On a similar note, Senator Keoghan said “This law is going to have a chilling effect on the ordinary people… for those who may not be in favour of the government.”